Renowned South Sudanese civil society activist Edmund Yakani was, over the weekend, elected the president of the East African Civil Society Organisations’ Forum (EACSOF) for 2023-2024.
The new EACSOF president who is also the executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), was elected during a summit held under the theme “Harnessing citizens’ prosperity in EAC and AfCFTA integration processes” held in Arusha, Tanzania from 3-5 May 2023.
In a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj, Yakani promised to use his one-year term to expedite the regional integration of East African Community countries.
“I will use this opportunity for the best interest of South Sudanese and East African citizens across the region. I will use my term of office for making sure that as civil society, we contribute to genuine and effective integration of the region and we come together as East African citizens,” he said. “I would like to take this opportunity to urge President Salva Kiir that now that the seat of the president of the civil society in the East African region is in the hands of South Sudanese, we wish that the government will collaborate and work with us to make sure that we succeed in our term in office and make the civil society work for the best interest of East African sons and daughters to be effective.”
The activist said he will work to ensure that South Sudan becomes a model of East African integration.
“I and the rest of the East African Community civil society team will work in the best interest of the regional integration processes,” Yakani said.
The annual summit brought together over 300 representatives from regional civil society organizations, EAC institutions and organs, EAC partner states, and academia and development partners.